Aging happens to all of us. It’s inevitable. Aging can be due to cells no longer able to function optimally. The environment we live in and our lifestyles can also affect how we age. According to Johnny Bowder, author of The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer, “Only about 5 to 20 percent of the aging process has to do with our genes. The rest has to do with how we treat our bodies, which determines whether, like a light switch, we turn the good genes on and the bad genes off.” Here are 5 ways shared with us by Dr. Amen to avoid accelerating the aging process.

1. Lessen Exposure to Free Radicals
Not unlike the way rust attacks a car, free radicals attack our cells, damage our DNA and accelerate aging. Things to avoid: cigarettes, trans fats, excess sun exposure, charred meats, and pesticides. Though fruits and vegetables are great sources of antioxidants that fight free radicals, try to buy the “dirty dozen” (produce with highest chemical residue) in...

If you want to get healthy, you may not need to go to a doctor. You might instead, dive into a community of like-minded individuals and watch your health soar! The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital.

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, “You are more likely to be overweight if your friend’s, friend’s friend is overweight than if your parents are overweight. Your social networks may matter more than your genetic networks. If your friends have healthy habits you are more likely to as well.  So, get healthy friends!”

Community: The Best Medicine for Change

Group models of intensive lifestyle change like the one modeled by Dr. Dean Ornish for heart disease and prostate cancer, are more effective and will save more lives and more money than using medication and surgery for diseases caused by lifestyle and environmental factors.

In my personal experience directing The Daniel Plan, a roadmap for physical and...

We are all looking for ways to optimize our health and this week we thought we’d focus on a simple way to elevate our health with very little effort.

Intermittent Fasting has become a key part of all of our programs at RISE. We have found it to be an amazing tool to supercharge your health and metabolism.

Check out some key benefits of IF from leading Functional Medicine Expert Dr. Will Cole.

“If you haven’t tried fasting before, you don’t have to worry about being hungry and you can ease into a fasting practice and find what works for you. Here are the top reasons why you should try intermittent fasting if you need a simple way to boost your health...

1. Intermittent fasting keeps snacking at bay 

Snacking can easily throw us off track with reaching our wellness goals. Unless you plan out your snacks well, there is the chance you’ll give in to temptation when presented...

Looking for some solid strategies and top tips to curb your cravings? Well know you are not alone in this quest as 90% of people report experiencing food cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods!

And unsatisfied cravings are a main reason sticking to a healthy lifestyle can get derailed. We love Chef Sally Cameron’s top 12 tips as she provides a great combination of food solutions and practical lifestyle changes you can integrate today!

12 Tips on How to Conquer Your Food Cravings

1. Drink Water

What seems like a craving could be dehydration. Check your water intake for the day and drink water before you eat food. Aim for half your body weight a day in ounces of water. And if you’ve sweated a lot, be sure to include electrolytes in your water to replenish critical minerals.

2. Move

When cravings hit, get outside for a walk and get some fresh air. If the weather is bad, do laps in your house, turn on music and dance, turn on a fitness video, do jumping jacks or pushups....

With the warm weather of summer upon us and more salads on our menus, here are a few fun ideas from Chef Sally Cameron on how to build a better salad. Enjoy using her ideas to up your salad game while delighting your palate and banish boring salads not just in summer but all year long!

And for a complete look at her delicious recipes, make sure to check out all the yummy goodness at A Food Centric Life!

Try Different Greens

With so many options now at the market, do you grab the same old thing each time? Red lettuce is my favorite, but peppery arugula, baby kale, tender butterhead lettuces (Bibb, Boston), curly Frisee, escarole, elegant endive, sturdy Romaine, watercress, a classic crisp wedge of iceberg, and baby green spinach make for wonderful salads. Add thinly sliced red cabbage or radicchio for color. Mix up your greens! 

Add Some Crunchies

Crunchy things give salads texture and are a way to add flavor, protein, fat, and color. Sprinkle on hemp hearts,...

This week we thought it would be fun and timely to focus one of our favorite strategies to transform your health! It’s our favorite as it’s delightfully simple and it works!

Bottom line, if you want to get healthy, your top priority should be to dive into a community of like-minded individuals to watch your health soar!

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, “You are more likely to be overweight if your friend’s, friend’s friend is overweight than if your parents are overweight. Your social networks may matter more than your genetic networks. If your friends have healthy habits you are more likely to as well.  So, get healthy friends!”

Community: The Best Medicine for Change

Research shows that community is definitely the best medicine to foster long-term change and improve health.

Group models of intensive lifestyle change like the one modeled by Dr. Dean Ornish for heart disease and prostate cancer, are more effective and save more lives than using...